ADVANCE BETWEEN OURCY AND THE MARNE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 263, 26 July 1918, Page 5

ADVANCE BETWEEN OURCY AND THE MARNE

HOPEFUL OUTLOOK REVIEWED BRITISH IMPROVE THEIR POSITIONS is By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright. New York, .Tulj 2t. Attacks ajid counter-attacks on the Marno salient continue, but the situation is unchanged.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Washington, July 21 French and American troops havo eapturcd the greater portion of Chalolot Woods.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BRITISH AGAIN ATTACKING 1 IMPORTANT GROUND CAPTURED. (Rec. July 26, 0.10 a.m.) London, July 24. Renter's correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on the afternoon of July 2-1, says: "The British resumed operations this morning and further advanced in tho woods surrounding Vrigny. A considerable pocket of thicklywooded ground was taken from the enemy, tho possession of which.is of considerable importance. Meanwhile the French continue to press with unabated vigour on tho western sido of tho German salient."—Reuter. THE OFFICIAL REPORTS FRENCH COMMUNIQUES. London, July 24. A Fironeh communique states: "Our attacks on both banks of the Ourcq had satisfactory results, notwithstanding the stubborn resistance of the enemy, who brought up fresh. reserves. North of tin? river we captured and passed Plossierhulau and reached the western outskirts of Oulchy-la-Ville, and captured the village of Montagu. The French and A morionus south of the Ourcq crossed the Chateau Thierry ttDad and advanced the. line over a kilometro eastward of the village of liocourt. The greater part of Chatelet Wood is in our hands. On tho right of the Marno (oast of Chateau Thierry) wo made further progress north of Mont St. Fere and Charteves, ivhieh is ours, and extended our bridgehead at Jaulgonne. Between the Manic and Reims the lighting is furious. Tlie French and British between the Ardreaud Vrigny, attacking strong positions, advanced over JOOII yards and imlictcd hiai.y .losses. The British captured prisonel's ami guns. 'The local opc,ration north of Montdidicr in the morning, in which wo captured Mailly-Raincval, Sauvillert;. aud Aubvillers, gave us 1500 prisoners." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Kcnter. (Itec. July 25, 7.20 p.m.) London, July 21, -l-.00 p.m. A French official communique states: "The night was characterised by groat artillery activity between tho Mains and the Aisne, in the 13ois de Courton and Iho Btris du Hoi. 'The Germans coun If rwu tackcd at 9 p.m. in the legion of Vrigny. Our troops smashed ;.ll assaults a.nu maintained their positions intact. The remainder of the front was uneventful."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. July 20, 0.50 a.m.) London, July 25, 2.30 a.m. A French communique stales: "Between tho Ourcq and the Marne our attacks were resumed this morning and continued successfully tluoughout tho day. Wo hold on the left Armenticres and Chatelet Wood, beyond which we reached and occupied Brecy. The Franco-Ami'r.caus, in tho centre, advanced over thvcu kilometres (about 2* miles)' at certain points. There was desperate fighting in tlie region of Ep.eds and Vrigny. The Gei mans recaptured Epicds on Tuesday evening, lint the Americans, iu a counter-attack, reconquered it. We advanced our lino north of both villages beyond Courpoil. Wo are advancing on our right in tho Forest of Fere, north of Charteves, and ac Jaulgonne. Further east we engaged the bridgehead at Treloup and captured the, southern part of the Forest of His. Wo captured in this sector five a-inch guns and much material. There is intermittent artillery firing between the Marno and Reims. In Tuesday's lighting, in which we captured Reims and the wood south of Gourmans, wo took several hundred prisoners. The total number of prisoners taken in region of Mailly, Raineval, and Aubvillers, north of Montdidicr, on Tuesday is 1850, including fiity-two officers, of whom four are colonels. Our booty includes four field gnus."—Aus.-Ji.Z. Cable Assn.-Keutor.

THE AMERICAN REPORT London, July 21. An American communique states: "South of the Ourcc] we continued to piress the retreating enemy. Wc took possession of Jauigonno and woods lo the west." —Aus.-K.Z. Cable Assu.-Router. ON THE BRITISH FRONT London, July 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Hostile artillery is active in tho northern portion of tho front, particularly in tho neighbourhood of Locre."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. July 25, 7.20 p.m.) London, July 21, 10 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "There was considerable hostile artillery activity this morning on the Yprcs sector. Liltlo Hying was possible, owing lo tho wind and the rain."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Rouiter. COMMENT ON THE SITUATION GERMAN PLANS WRECKED. London, July 21. Clonciral Maurice, writes: "Tho fact that tho Crown Prince had reorganised his forces between Soissoas and Chateau Thierry when General Focli attacked indicates that lie intended to follow up his advance across the Manic by an attack upon Paris, probably coupling with another attack between Amicus and Moutdidier. General poch's countcr-stiokc has therefore not only wrccked the German offensive, but has upset tho enemy's plans lor the future. General Eoeh's neiv attack at Montdidior has completed this upset, and even if it is only a local affair it should, together with our own recent progress at Tillers lirclonneux, remove tho danger whicli has hung over Paris for six weeks. The Crown Prince's efforts lo extirieate himself from tho mess in which lie is involved will lmvo an important efl'ccl; on the general situation. Counter-attacks improvised in the midst of a battle in order to save a desperate situation are always costly. It is certain that tho Germans' losses have been higher in the last lew days and the exhaustion of their reserve? greater Hum in Iho first days of tho alwrtivc offensive. The situation is so improved from every point of view that wo may without extravagance regard General Voeh's connlrr-altack as tho turning point of the 1918 campaign."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN DIVISIONS ENGAGED London, July 21. Renter's correspondent at Erenoli Headquarters savs it is known that tho enemy has engaged between sixty and eighty divisions since July 15. A careful estimate reckons that tho total number of Gorman casualties and prisoners lost is 180,000.—Router.